Section 19 in The Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act, 1987 (1930 A.D.)
19. Certain kinds of timber to be deemed property of Government until title thereto proved and may be collected accordingly.
(a)All timber found adrift, beached, stranded or sunk,(b)all wood or timber bearing marks which have not been registered under section 15, or on which the marks have been obliterated, altered or defaced by fire or otherwise, and(c)in such areas as [the Government] [In sections 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 25, 34, 38, 45 and 47 the words 'the Government' substituted for the words 'His Highness the Maharaja Bhadur' by Act X of Svt. 1996.] may direct all unmarked wood and timber, shall be deemed to be the property of Government unless and until any person establishes his right and title thereto as provided in this Chapter.Such timber may be collected by any Forest Officer or other person entitled to collect the same by virtue of any rule made under section 25 and may be brought to such depots as the Forest Officer may from time to time notify as depots for the reception of drift timber.[The Government] [In sections 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 25, 34, 38, 45 and 47 the words 'the Government' substituted for the words 'His Highness the Maharaja Bhadur' by Act X of Svt. 1996.] may, by notification in the Jammu and Kashmir Government Gazette, exempt any class of timber from the provisions of this section.
